; ; ‘ 
50 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
Charles Bonaparte. The connection of the pine creeper 
with Vermivora is still more indisputable: like those 
birds, its nest is pendulous ; its tongue the same ; its bill 
is equally entire, and nearly as straight ; the elongation 
of the hind toe is intermediate, in degree, between that 
of the black and white creeper, and of the Vermivora 
solitaria. Finally, its plumage and general aspect so 
closely resemble the latter bird, that nearly all European 
ornithologists have actually mistaken the one for the 
other! The affinity, therefore, between the pine creeper 
and Mniotilta varia on one side, and Vermivora on the 
other, being now established, the circle of the whole 
group is made out. 
(55.) But we must carry this analysis further. The 
five types we have now enumerated should, according 
to the theory we hold, be capable of a primary solution 
into three; that is, the three that are aberrant should 
form one circular group: the question therefore is, 
what are the indications'of a circular union between 
Dumecola, Zosterops, and Mniotilta? We have already 
alluded to the rigid bristles round the bill of the pine 
creeper. Now, this very singular character can only 
be explained by looking to the Dumecola ruficauda Sw., 
or any of the other undescribed species of the same 
group, where we find the rictus similarly formed; a 
peculiarity of organisation, be it remembered, which is 
not found in any other birds of this group: again, 
Dumecola, if truly connected with Mniotilta, should 
have some indication of the scansorial structure, al- 
though its depressed and bristled bill makes it the true 
type of the flycatchers and the todies; now, this indi- 
cation is not only very strong, but particularly beautiful. 
The hind claw of Dumecola, although not so lengthened 
as that of Mniotilta varia, is fully as long as that of the 
pine creeper ; the claw is also particularly large: the 
rufous sail of D. ruficauda, so universal among the 
true scansorial creepers, immediately reminds us of 
thsoe birds; and this analogy is still more evident, on — 
observing that all the feathers end in five nakedHlongea 
